Episode 10: Grandparenting When Your Body Has Limits: A Mother-Daughter Conversation

In this mother-daughter episode, we open up about something rarely talked about: what it’s really like to be a grandparent when your body, health, or anxiety doesn’t match the picture you always imagined. Fresh off a family trip to Disneyland, we unpack the very real struggles that came up — the physical limitations, the sensory overwhelm, the moments of guilt, and the fear of “not being enough” as a grandparent.

We talk through my mom’s experience navigating grandparenting with a disability and past trauma, and my experience as her daughter watching her try so hard to show up for her grandkids even when her body says otherwise. From mobility challenges to emotional boundaries, from anxiety spikes to unexpected moments of connection, this episode explores how families can shift expectations, communicate honestly, and find new, meaningful ways to bond.

We also reflect on advice from experts on grandparenting with disabilities, holding healthy boundaries, and redefining what it means to be a “good” grandparent when physical abilities change.

If you’ve ever struggled with limitations — or loved someone who does — this conversation offers comfort, validation, and hope. Being a good grandparent isn’t about how much you can physically do. It’s about presence, creativity, patience, and love.

✨ Let’s normalize grandparenting in all its forms — including the imperfect, adaptive, courageous version.

Grandparenting Tips: How to be a Better GrandparentMS and Learning How to Be a Grandparent with a DisabilityFor The Grandparents Who Are ‘Just Trying To Help’